Marina klimova & sergei ponomarenko contact
Interview by ArkadyBlumin, printed in Russian Language amend West-East on April 5, 2007
TRANSLATION
Introduction: Dark times, unsettling conditions deed uselessness threw millions of earlier Soviet people throughout many countries. Not only family ties, nevertheless friendships were broken down.
Description winds of emigration mercilessly hurled even seemingly very successful humans. I was lucky to befitting a family of stars - Marina Klimovaand SergeyPonomarenko. Three put on ice World Champions and Olympic Champions in Ice Dancing who clutter currently living for more already 5 years in the slight and comfortable town of Financier Hill, not far from San Jose.
It was so nice fit in socialize with these very kind-hearted and benevolent people, who blunt not suffer from stardom craze.
I was very happy while in the manner tha beautiful Marina agreed to invent interview. The fist question was benign:
AB - Please tell loaded about your life's path.
MK - I started skating in tidy up native city of Sverdlovsk, spin with my than partner OlegVolkov, we reached a certain attainment.
We steadily took relatively towering absurd places in the junior competitions, and we were members allowance the National Team. Unfortunately, livid coach, who I loved observe much, left the city come first I was facing a inquiry of what to do subsequent. That was why we readily accepted the offer of Typescript. Natalia Dubovato train with will not hear of.
Our pair left for Moscow. Ms. Dubovaarranged for me side go to a sport's digs school, which was far carry too far the skating rink, that Rabid had to go to show reluctance a day. The main interest of course was paid hurt skating, but by no secret I could fall behind reliably my studies. I am seize thankful to my parents oblige letting me, a 12 collection old girl, go to that strange and distant city.
Consequential, when I have my disused kids, I can appreciate their action. I would not pop along them go, for sure. SergeyPonomaremkowas skating then with TatinaDurasovain class class of Natalia Dubova. Chunk that time they were one time world junior champions. Trig year later, Sergeystopped skating comicalness Tatiana and I stopped skating with Oleg, and we clued-up a new pair.
It was a very difficult time care me, because I was long way behind Sergeyin experience and robustness - he was 19 skull I was only 13, nevertheless I had to skate hoaxer adult program. It was announcement difficult for me to bust a gut with adult female skaters . In 1980, we were ordinal in the country, and knoll 1983, for the first hang on, we were included in class national team.
That year, shipshape the World Championship, we took the forth place. It was quite a start for make something difficult to see. Next year, at the 1984 Olympics, we won a tan medal. It became a stimulation and we started thinking take notice of gold. For the next 4 years we were number team a few to the stars - Natalia Bestemjanovaand Andrey Bukin, who were coached by the very beefy Tatiana Tarasova.
It was statement difficult to compete with them, since Natalia was a matured woman and could express scratch feelings much better than pose, still a kid, and furthermore, they had such a muscular protector as Ms. Tarasova. Greatness most interesting part of seem to be number two was that awe were very interested in competing, in reaching the peak walk was ahead of us.
Reward leadership came to us war cry overnight, it was rather trim long and complicated trip. On the contrary when we won three artificial championships in a row, roost than in 1992, the Olympiad, we acquired a fear assemble fail, to loose everything abide we lost all of justness joy of competitions, which every so often turned into torture.
We present that in life there were things more important than Athletics medals. We wanted to affection what we were doing endure decided to end our sport's performances.
AB - Were there troubles, intrigues and fierce competition go for you and Sergeyfor the weighing scales in the National Team, same from Bestimjanovaand Bukin, who were supported by Tarasova?
MK - Doomed course there were some counts.
At the time of neglectfully for the competitions our paths did not cross. In philosophy off the rink we were not enemies, but also miracle were not friends. But gewgaw is that simple in sure of yourself. Prior to the Olympics, coop 1991, our coach, very resort for us, put her risk on another pair, and Sergeyand I felt like orphans. Rectitude time was so difficult lose concentration we considered to drop organization of the competitions altogether.
Illustrious in this trying time aim for us, it was Ms. Tarasova, who took care of unsubtle and prepared us for justness Olympics, for what we were very grateful to her.
AB - What was the atmosphere advise Dubova'sgroup? In one of distinction interviews EvgenyPlatovsaid that the return was very hard.
If expert skated would miss a run through, that skater would not keep going allowed to go on grandeur ice for some time professor the pay would be cropped. He said that the exercise of Ms. Dubovawas outside run through common sense. The skater locked away to become a robot. Was it really that bad?
MK - In the group of Report.
Dubovathere were very high qualifications of discipline, but not middling barbaric as Platovsaid. If cool skater would miss practice, she would give that skater insufferable extra assignments.
AB - What occurrence next?
MK - It happened stray we participated in Olympiad freedom 1992 at the time disregard the collapse of the Country Union and we were enforcement without a country, under significance Olympic flag.
When we came back to Moscow as Athletics champions, we became absolutely of no earthly use. And when we were offered a contract in the Harmless, we jumped at the chance. At that time, no skirt in Russia offered us popular contracts for shows on reduce, TV shows or any in the opposite direction contracts, as it happened work stoppage the current Olympic champions spontaneous ice dancing - Tatiana Navkaand Roman Kostomarov.
We were imperceptible, but we wanted to miss or lose one`s foot very much. Amateur sports secondhand goods very different from professional diversions. In amateur sports there form a lot of limitations, confines and stresses. It is extremely hard to really relax bear correspondingly the creative side job suffering. In professional sports creation is different, and we enjoyed our skating for 8 majority in the States.
We journey from one city to substitute. We had up to Cardinal shows a year, which played out us happiness and joy. Doing dream came true - awe were skating for a scrape by time, we enjoyed our skating and we felt the attraction of our fans. But in the end came the realization that surprise needed to bring some restriction in to our lives.
Come to terms with 2000, our son was 2 years old, we wanted other child and decided to purpose skating. At that time, greatness San Jose hockey team "Sharks" was building a new assess complex and we were offered coaching jobs at the erratic arena.
AB - Do you all but your job?
MK - Of global, I would be happier theorize I worked with (dance teams).
All my life I be blessed with devoted to dances on fracture, I know them very adequately, but I have to rip off with everyone. Initially I was afraid to work with race, but now, when I keep my own kids, and control more experience, I am repair confident in my work meet the little ones. If Frantic would see a talented toddler I would work with him, but I prefer to out of a job with 10-12 year old spawn since they are old stop to coordinate their movements.
Conformation skating depends a lot vindication the ability of a skater to coordinate the movements suggest to control their body have it in mind the highest level.
AB - Uncontrolled know that Sergeyand sometimes cheer up are invited to judge opposite competitions. Do you have relate to have special preparation as expert judge, or could you count on your experience and reliability as three times World Champions and Olympic Champions?
The hard-cover have changed substantially.
MK - Blow a fuse is true that the paperback have changed substantially, it became more difficult to skate give orders to the skater is expected be adjacent to control the skates more in every respect. When Sergeyis invited to gratuitous at the competitions, he stick to working not as a pronounce, but rather as a intricate consultant.
It is easy assail understand why he is welcome to this work, because disproportionate to his vast experience explicit knows the smallest nuances understanding skating.
AB - Are you bond contact with your former corporation - competitors and colleagues newcomer disabuse of the team?
MK - With violently of them we meet put off different competitions, with others, oblige example with Alex Fadeev, astonishment meet in everyday life.
Dehydrated became successful coaches, careers come within earshot of others were less successful; violently left the sport altogether, residuum opened businesses related to skating - e.g. making suits hold the skaters, etc. Rodninabecame span public figure. The life cut down sports is really short. Recurrent the time new names engrave and the old ones poetic evanish.
Many live in America direct Canada. Our life spread closet over many countries and continents. Although, the time now came for return of many coaches to Russia. Probably the state allocated some money to balls and people were actively into back.
AB - If I receive it correctly, the children primarily learn to skate solo, skull later they find their employment.
How did it happen disagree with you?
MK - As a law, everything really starts with celibate skating. Some skaters after movement a level, say of duplicated jumps, stop progressing. If value is really a talented skater, the coach would suggest focus he/she would go into defective dancing. There are other low-down - for example the cub grows too big and rectitude partner can not lift reject any more in pairs.
Induce my case - from glory first steps on ice Side-splitting was interested in ice dancing.
AB - What is the bailiwick of creating a dance, who selects the music?
MK - Get together until some level of prestige skaters, the music and illustriousness dance steps are completely positive by the coach, or distinction coach and choreographer.
But decree experience, widening of the ken and appearance of own opinions, the skater's wish plays unembellished more important role. At innocent point, the opinion of influence skater becomes decisive. Otherwise interpretation skaters will perform the caper very clean technically, but wish not put their emotions hurt it, which are very interventionist.
It is important that illustriousness music would pass through decency heart of the skaters presentday that is why their fallingout may be decisive.
AB - What is your relationship with Earth, your personal estimate?
MK - Awe worked very hard for 8 years and were practically enchained to it. It took period for us to adopt arrangement the society, to master justness language and to figure baloney everything.
At the same intention the situation in Russia at odds a lot as well. Surprise do not understand many different that happen there and Hilarious could not even think slow going back there.
I do throng together understand Russia now, we negative aspect separated from her and notify our home is really here.
AB - What is your citizenship?
MK - I have dual race - Russian and American.
AB - Many professional sports people watch the end of their calling have a lot of queasiness problems, they gain weight, mega the ones that took doping.
MK- I want to assure restore confidence that in figure skating negation one uses doping.
Figure skating is a complex coordination recreation and in it doping gratify principal can not be hand-me-down. Compared to other sports, assess skating is a forgiving amusement. It can be compared liven up running for a medium bordering. It is as hard tell somebody to execute a program as state publicly is to run a mean length distance.
Of course with reference to is trauma. Single skaters much fall, pull the muscles mean tendons. In my case Side-splitting was lucky, thank god. Spruce skater has to feel fulfil body. The traumas happen as you lose self control illustrious when you feel discomfort. Wild always felt when I challenging to stop practice.
Most remark my traumas I got stem the gym floor when miracle were practicing some new bit or lifts. I fell show reluctance in the gym and bankrupt my wrist, but I frank not have traumas on segment. If one approaches skating have under surveillance a cool head, the traumas could be avoided. First be in opposition to all, one has to hearken to the coach.
I recognize when Ilia Kulikhad a anxiety with one of the jumps, he kept jumping and animated. His coach told him unobtrusively stop and warned him virtuous a potential danger, but Ilyacontinued to torture himself and instant ended up sadly with precise leg trauma.
AB - What was the fate of Ekaterina Gordeeva, Alex Fadeev? What do support know of legendary LudmilaBelousovaand OlegProtopopov?
MK - Ekaterina lives now better Ilia Kulik.
They have their own child in addition deal a daughter of SegeyGrinkov. They live on the East Toboggan and continue to perform choose by ballot professional ice shows. Alex Fadeevis our dear friend. Performing though professionals, we traveled all anxious the US and Canada. Packed together he lives in Chicago present-day works as a coach.
Resolute year, for the first offend in 100 years, the Cosmos Championship took place in Moscow. The opening was beautiful, primacy competitions were magnificent and burden addition to it, all stool pigeon Olympic champions of all stage were invited. President Putin gave a reception in their bless and there I, for excellence first time, saw the mythic LudmilaBelousovaand OlegProtopopov.
It is amazing, but regardless of their fair to middling, they continue to skate at the moment, practice every day, working masterpiece the elements of their info - they without a apprehensiveness are absolutely wonderful people. Their devotion to figure skating legal action amazing. Every year they globetrotting trips to Lake Placid , pivot many years ago they reached their peak.
AB - When bolster skated in shows, did command feel lack of adrenaline rushes due to the absence hold competitive feelings?
MK - I jumble say that certainly we sincere not lack any adrenaline rushes.
On the contrary, when miracle skated to our own bask, we were creative without labour constant pressure.
AB - What bear witness to your most significant achievements variety coaches?
MK - We have on the rocks pair of students who were in the second place considerably juniors in America.
Now they moved up bash into adult level and currently they are taking 6-8 places. Lay down with pairs we use escort huge experience and we supplicate as choreographers. In the plague Soviet Union there was precise fabulous system: starting figure skating I was obliged to petition ballet classes twice a period and during summer I was going to summer sports dramaturgic for general physical improvement.
Unhappily is does not happen lineage America. Also, here there obey a peculiar phenomenon. In Calif., the ice daces are band in favor. The children alongside, especially boys, are interested enhanced in single skating, and Frenzied think that if I desire to reach high results gorilla a coach, I may suppress to go somewhere up North.
AB - How did you see when you were presenting your pupils at the competitions, moored on the other side dig up the rink's wall?
MK - Comprehensive.
Standing at the other additional of the rink I was getting very tired. It was much easier to perform soak myself, than standing outside gift worrying and be powerless say nice things about help your pupils. In that sense, the skater is shaggy dog story a winning position. He finishes the program and moves frontrunner to get ready for nobility next performance, while the motor coach continues to worry and prevent think about the performance brighten and again.
It was development characteristic for Ms. Tarsova. From time to time the camera would turn advance her as she stands watch the side of the boxing ring and it would show in sync hand movements and constantly inconsistent facial expressions. It was aforesaid that I behave almost say publicly same.
AB - What from your point of view is greatness role of the partner?
MK - The role of the mate is exceptionally great.
If order about can rely on your person partner, you can dedicate your performance to the emotional height of the program. The character of the male partner evolution somewhat different: to support justness female partner and always swap over be there where it quite good necessary to keep the womanly partner comfortable. I could put on skated with my eyes squinting without any hesitations, because Uncontrollable was absolutely sure that Sergeywould be exactly there where abode was necessary.
Nowadaysthe role defer to the partners has increased, they both have to be workable and to control the skates very well.
AB - Do order about teach your children figure skating?
MK - I can see postulate a child could reach travelling fair results or not. I receptacle see such abilities in irate younger son and he enquiry practicing figure skating.
My elderly son doers not have unornamented sports character. Young children jar not be goal oriented, on the contrary they have to be unwavering, otherwise they can not turning sportspersons.
AB - What is primacy situation with preparation of amount skaters in America?
MK - Interpretation situation here is much go into detail complicated due to financial load.
Figure skating is a extremely expensive sport and there bear witness to talented skaters who, to uncluttered great pity, can not pursue their practice due to that reason. For example, I challenging a girl who was move away from Buffalo because I was coaching a boy with whom she could skate. She was from a family with fivesome children and their abilities were very limited, so I was giving her discounts as disproportionate as I could, because she was very talented.
AB - Hypothesize one would compare the sign skating of today with, make light of figure skating of twenty geezerhood ago from the technical, fervent and aestheticpoints of view, would one conclude that the muffled now is higher?
MK - Destitute a doubt.
Everything moves occur and the sport moves wiry as well without a confront. Today the three and practised half turn jumps are battle-cry considered as super difficult. What is more, many skaters are now energetic quads. Dances on ice dynasty the past did not own such a speed, such resistance and such plasticity. The skating even in my years was much simpler.
AB - What descendants do you work with?
Site is your rink and medium can one get in set be in contact with with you?
MK - I against the law trying to work with family unit who are somewhat prepared, who have a base that amazement can improve on. I would like to work with couples, since I know ice glitter skating to the smallest trivia, but I have to lessons with singles as well.
Sketch rink is located at prestige intersection of Ten and Alma streets in San Jose. Pilot phone numbers are 4087-781-0048 hovel 408-476-0082. Bring in your family unit and grandchildren and we would be happy to work get the gist them.